Alright electrical system guru's..... flickering lights
09-02-2011, 12:45 AM
#1
Alright electrical system guru's..... flickering lights
Hey Everyone!
It's been a while since I've had any issues on the 996. Recently I noticed that my interior lights and headlights will pulse (bright to dim) when the car is running and when the car is off with the key removed from the ignition. My first thought was a relay of some sort. I am not too familiar with the electrical system on this car and the location of the major grounds and positive leads from the battery. Any ideas or info on the electrical system would be great!! Thanks again.
It's been a while since I've had any issues on the 996. Recently I noticed that my interior lights and headlights will pulse (bright to dim) when the car is running and when the car is off with the key removed from the ignition. My first thought was a relay of some sort. I am not too familiar with the electrical system on this car and the location of the major grounds and positive leads from the battery. Any ideas or info on the electrical system would be great!! Thanks again.
09-02-2011, 02:10 AM
#2
Rocky Mountain High
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
How old is your battery? The fact that it does it when the car is not running makes me wonder if this is the problem as opposed to an alternator.
09-02-2011, 11:57 AM
#3
Three Wheelin'
Did someone say ignition switch?
Sincerely,
Ignition switch.
09-02-2011, 12:13 PM
#6
09-02-2011, 12:14 PM
#7
Three Wheelin'
The first thing to suspect with electrical gremlins such as lights staying on or flickering when your key is removed is the ........ ......
Hey let's play hangman, I'll start with the letter i.
Hey let's play hangman, I'll start with the letter i.
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09-02-2011, 04:02 PM
#9
Update: Grounds look good for battery and motor. Battery reads 12v and 14v with alternator. I pulled off the ignition switch and cleaned the terminals. (flickering still there) I want to eliminate all the obvious potential culprits before I buy a switch. When I turn the key it isn't sticky which is a common sign of a failing switch.
09-02-2011, 06:06 PM
#11
It would be the internal contact plates if it's failing.
You could do video of it and play up the mystry ghost theme and make money on the channel that plays ghost houses
Other than that checking fuses to make sure they haven't had oxidation creep in between the contacts would be another check. I don't know what material the fuse block has but if its copper and some fuse maker went cheap putting aluminum tabs on a fuse the two metals don't work well. Stainless steel is the accepted material in ham radio to go between copper alloys and aluminum alloys.
Also like you suspected I'd figure an electrical relay. If it's an always present problem and a relay I'd figure it's a bad ground and possibly a relay is using a non standard path to ground like one of the other lighting sytems. Check how each blinker and light system works when the problem is going on.
Then there is has somebody rigged something in the fuze block area. Check for stray thin strand of wire screwing things around. Maybe there's a high load like a car amp that's gone wrong.
Other than that an ignition switch on it's last leg with the plates worn out making very slight contact would do the same GIANT PAIN IN THE ****.
You could do video of it and play up the mystry ghost theme and make money on the channel that plays ghost houses
Other than that checking fuses to make sure they haven't had oxidation creep in between the contacts would be another check. I don't know what material the fuse block has but if its copper and some fuse maker went cheap putting aluminum tabs on a fuse the two metals don't work well. Stainless steel is the accepted material in ham radio to go between copper alloys and aluminum alloys.
Also like you suspected I'd figure an electrical relay. If it's an always present problem and a relay I'd figure it's a bad ground and possibly a relay is using a non standard path to ground like one of the other lighting sytems. Check how each blinker and light system works when the problem is going on.
Then there is has somebody rigged something in the fuze block area. Check for stray thin strand of wire screwing things around. Maybe there's a high load like a car amp that's gone wrong.
Other than that an ignition switch on it's last leg with the plates worn out making very slight contact would do the same GIANT PAIN IN THE ****.
09-02-2011, 08:03 PM
#12
Thanks for the help.. I check on the fuses and any funny wiring other than the wiring i did (fan bypass mod for radiator fans and engine compartment fans). I noticed the flicker one night when my I pulled in my garage and the headlights and interior lights were dimming in and out. I remember when I stepped on the gas they got brighter.. Even though the interior light flicker with the engine off.
